Vietnam women's team ready for Asiad 2026 in Japan

Hanoi - The Vietnam women's national football team has completed its preparations and is ready to enter the women's football tournament at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. The squad coached by Hoang Van Phuc has set its target on reaching the quarterfinals. According to the draw results, the Vietnam women's team are placed in Group E alongside host Japan, Thailand, and Chinese Taipei. This is regarded as a challenging group as Vietnam must face the host nation, one of the leading women's football powerhouses in Asia. Speaking at the pre-tournament press conference, coach Hoang Van Phuc stated: "The whole team is in good health and ready to compete. We have prepared thoroughly for this tournament." Regarding preparations, the Vietnam women's team spent three weeks training domestically before moving to China for a 19-day training camp. During this period, the team played two friendlies, including a 0-3 loss to the China women's national team and a 1-0 win over Jiangsu Women's Club. Prior to that, the team had also played three friendlies in Hanoi, aimed at reviewing personnel, completing tactical work, and giving players competitive experience. Vietnam's Group E match schedule: September 14, 2026 vs Chinese Taipei, September 17, 2026 vs Japan, and September 21, 2026 vs Thailand. According to the tournament format, 12 teams are divided into 3 groups, with the top two teams from each group and the two best third-placed teams advancing to the knockout stage. This opens up multiple opportunities for the Vietnam women's team in the race for a quarterfinal spot, particularly because the match against Thailand on September 21, 2026 is widely seen as the "final" of the group, with both teams as direct rivals for the second place and for the best-third-placed position. The team is scheduled to have their first training session in Japan on September 12, 2026, two days before their opening match against Chinese Taipei. With thorough preparations and high determination, the Vietnam women's team hopes to create surprises at this tournament.